The Lincoln Squirrel

News, features and photos from Lincoln, Mass.

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More things to do in Lincoln this month

Theater now, music later on at L-S

The LSB Players at Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School will stage the final two performances of The 39 Steps tonight and tomorrow, May 2 and 3, at 7:30 p.m. in Kirschner Auditorium. Based on the classic Hitchcock movie, The 39 Steps is an hilarious farce of mistaken identity, who done it, and deadpan humor. Produced in conjunction with the English Department’s Drama in Production class, the show will incorporate complex stagecraft sure to be crowd-pleasing. Tickets are $15 for adults and $8 for students and seniors. Go to the LSB Tickets webpage to reserve seats.

Also at L-S in May, the Lincoln-Sudbury Civic Orchestra (LSCO) will wrap up its 2013-2014 season with its spring concert on Friday, May 30 at 7:30 p.m. Interim Conductor Ray Daniels will direct the orchestra in the overture to Mozart’s opera The Magic Flute, Gabriel Faure’s Pavane for a Dead Princess, Alexander Borodin’s On the Steppes of Central Asia, and Felix Mendelssohn’s Reformation Symphony (#5). L-S senior and Sudbury resident Emily Liang is the featured soloist in the Concerto in A minor, RV 356, by Antonio Vivaldi. Admission is a suggested donation of $10 for adults or $5 for students and senior citizens. A reception will follow the concert.

LSCO is a volunteer community orchestra comprising high school students and adult community members who share a love for preparing and performing substantial orchestral repertoire. The members have classical music training at the intermediate to advanced level and rehearse weekly. Neither professional performing experience nor residence in Lincoln or Sudbury are requirements for membership. Daniels also serves as associate conductor for the Waltham Philharmonic Orchestra and has conducted symphony orchestras throughout the U.S.

For more information about this concert or about participation as a performing member, contact the orchestra at lscivicorchestra@gmail.com.

Spring cleanup at Codman this weekend

Please join us for Codman Farm’s Volunteer Spring Cleanup Work Day  on Saturday, May 3 starting at 8:30 a.m. Come for the day or come for an hour. Volunteers will be treated to a great lunch. We’ll find a task to suit your energy level and time commitment. Tasks include:

  • Barn cleanup
  • Refrigerator shelf cleaning
  • Brush burning
  • Wood pile moving
  • Wood chip spreading
  • Sugar shack cleanout
  • General trash pickup (tell the kids it’s a hunt!)
  • Painting
deCordova

Dance Spot at deCordova.

Dance outside at deCordova on Sunday

Try out your moves on outdoor dance floors in the deCordova Sculpture Park on Sunday, May 4 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Multimedia artist Elisa H. Hamilton pairs colorful diagrams, site-specific dance routines and songs in her participatory installation Dance Spot. Free with admission or membership.

Also on Sunday at the deCordova: celebrate jewelry artist Wiwat Kamolpornwijit, Artist of the Month at the deCordova Store for May 2014, during a drop-in weekend reception at 2 p.m. Admission to deCordova Store is always free.

Garden Club fundraising sale is on May 10

Get out your trowels and potting soil—it’s time for the Lincoln Garden Club’s biennial fundraiser plant sale on Saturday, May 10 at the Codman Barn. There will be something for every type of garden including perennials from local gardens, rare and unusual specimens, patio planters, herbs and shade plants. This year we have an abundant number of peonies and unusual lilies and irises, as well as hostas, ornamental grasses, echinacea, daisies, geraniums, anemones, spirea, trillium, astilbe, bee balm, bleeding heart, coriopsis, rubeckia, and much more. To entertain the kids, the Garden Club has a fun hands-on craft planned that will make a perfect Mother’s Day gift.

Plants will be sold from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., so plan to spend the morning browsing for plants. This fundraiser supports the Garden Club activities such as the planter in front of the library, floral arrangements for home-bound residents, and public lectures on gardening topics. Questions? Email Belinda.gingrich@verizon.net. Learn more on the Lincoln Garden Club website and hear news about meetings and events.

frog

A capella night to support LEAP

Join fellow Lincolnites for a night of a capella at Bemis Hall on Friday, May 16 from 7-10 p.m. to support LEAP (the Lincoln Extended-day Activities Program). There will be food, drinks and fun, as well as a silent auction and raffle to support LEAP, Lincoln’s longtime afterschool program. Prizes to bid on include dinner and a movie with babysitting, gift certificates to salons, a basket of wine, a loaf of bread every month for six months from Nashoba Valley Bakery, 18 holes of golf, Red Sox tickets, and more. Tickets are $25 ($30 at the door). Come to LEAP to purchase tickets in advance. Child care for the event will be provided at LEAP for $10 per child. Reserve a spot by May 14. To donate something to our benefit auction or raffle, please contact Kathryn Hawkins at978-505-8751.

Pie bakers

Rev. Daniel MacDonald and Eva Elder of St. Anne’s show off their pie-baking skills.

Pie-baking competition at St. Anne’s on May 16

St. Anne’s-in-the-Fields Episcopal Church  is hosting a pie-baking competition as a fundraiser for the youth mission trip this summer. The event takes place starting at 6:30 p.m. on Friday, May 16 in Flint Hall. We’ll have pies for judging, pies for eating and pies for buying.

You can submit a pie to be judged in any one of four pie categories (fruit, custard and cream, savory, and exotic); prizes will be awarded for each category as well as Best in Show. Register online at www.stanneslincoln.org. There will also be a pizza pie dinner and live music with admission to this fabulous event. Come hear more about our mission trip to New York City in July, and help support its funding by entering a pie, or buying a pie, or just coming to enjoy the festivities.

“What Makes Me White?”

The Lincoln METCO Coordinating Committee (MCC) will present the 45-minute film What Makes Me White? on Monday, May 19 at 6 p.m. in the Brooks Auditorium. The documentary discusses the role of race in the daily lives of white people. Designed as a gentle tool for the classroom, boardroom, and house of worship, the film avoids blame, guilt, or “political correctness.” The hope is to inspire individuals to reflect on the invisible influence of whiteness on personality and life. The audience will engage in a discussion of the feelings and thoughts raised by the film. Students in grades 6-8 can also see the film on Wednesday, May 21 at 12:40 p.m. Lunch will be provided courtesy of the MCC.

Kids’ activities at library during April vacation

The Lincoln Public Library is hosting the following kid-friendly events during April vacation week. All programs are sponsored by the Friends of the Lincoln Public Library, Inc.

Tuesday, April 22 at 11 a.m. — Concert with Alastair Moock
Alastair, a Parents’ Choice Award Winner and one of Boston’s premier folk artists, will perform a concert for all ages, “Shake Your Roots,” with rowdy singin’ and dancin’ and lots of zany humor. Walk-in.

frozenWednesday, April 23 at 7 p.m. — Family Movie Night: Disney’s Frozen
A sweet, magical film filled with great music, likable characters, and striking effects. Bring a pillow and sleeping bag if you like. Ages 5 and up. Come early because space is limited!

Thursday, April 24 at 3:30 p.m. — “Movies and Muffins”
Short films based on beloved children’s books Little Quack, Little Red Hen and Rosie’s Walk. For ages 2 and up.

Friday, April 25 at 3:30 p.m.  — Circus Minimus presents: The One-Man Circus in a Suitcase!
From magician Kevin O’Keefe’s suitcase an entire circus emerges: tent, band, lights, and a gallery of wacky circus characters and antics. Fun for the whole family. No sign-up necessary.

First annual “Celebrate Asia!” at L-S this weekend

asia-food

The first annual “Celebrate Asia!” Festival on April 12 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. will celebrate the diverse cultures that enrich Lincoln-Sudbury school and town communities and will serve as a fundraiser for the L-S Memorial School, the high school’s sister school in Battambang, Cambodia.

Among the offerings at the festival: crafts activities for kids, cultural performances by diverse dance groups, martial arts exhibitions, henna tattoos, tai chi, yoga, Asian goods and gifts, and some of your favorite Asian foods.

The L-S Memorial School was the brainchild of Mira Vale, a 2009 Lincoln graduate of L-S,  who worked with former history teacher Bill Schechter and others to create the school as a way to help the L-S community heal after the in-school murder of 15-year-old James Alenson in 2007 (see article in the Sudbury Town Crier). Community members raised money in partnership with American Assistance for Cambodia to build the 300-student school, which opened in 2009 with five classrooms furnished with desks, benches, chalkboards, school supplies, and English-speaking teachers.

The school commemorates the L-S students and young alumni who have died during the school’s 50-year history. Names of about 300 deceased students and alumni are listed on the L-S Memorial School website, along with this video of how the  school became a reality.

Kids rack up a Town Meeting victory

The eighth-graders who fashioned a warrant article to request new bikes racks were (left to right) Janie Petraglia Luke Belge, Zoe Belge, Anna Shorb, Cal Hamandi and (not pictured) Jacob Strock.

The eighth-graders who fashioned a warrant article to request new bikes racks were (left to right) Janie Petraglia, Luke Belge, Zoe Belge, Anna Shorb, Cal Hamandi and (not pictured) Jacob Strock.

By Alice Waugh

Today’s children will govern the Lincoln of tomorrow—and they had a chance to practice at Town Meeting on March 29.

Six Lincoln School eighth-graders—Luke and Zoe Belge, Cal Hamandi, Janie Petraglia, Anna Shorb and Jacob Strock—worked since last fall with Town Clerk Susan Brooks on writing a warrant article for Town Meeting. But rather than dealing with zoning by-laws or property tax rates, their effort eventually focused on something more important to kids: new bike racks.

They started with a presentation by Brooks on how town government works and then brainstormed some ideas for a warrant article they could bring up for a Town Meeting vote with a citizens’ petition. “They thought broadly at the beginning,” Brooks said with a laugh. “Some of the ideas were pretty far out.”

One of the old bike racks outside Hartwell Pod C.

One of the old bike racks outside Hartwell Pod C.

Eventually the kids hit upon the idea of a citizen’s petition seeking money for new bike racks. They did an informal poll of classmates and found that quote a few of them would ride their bikes to school if there was a better rack for locking their bikes. The decades-old models now at the schools were designed to lock only the front wheel, which doesn’t cut it with today’s fancier bikes with quick-release wheels.

The process, as is usually the case with getting things done in government, required talking to lots of people and doing research. They talked to Lincoln School facilities director Michael Haynes about where on the school campus the new racks might be installed. They went online and found a $125 bike rack online that will lock five bikes (how many they’ll eventually get will depend on the maximum dollar amount that will be requested, which hasn’t been finalized yet). And they gathered signatures. A citizen’s petition for a warrant article requires 10 valid signatures, but the bike-rack group collected 60 to 70.

And then there were the meetings. The students presented their idea to  the School Committee, the Board of Selectmen (“they were really enthusiastic about it,” said Luke Belge) and finally the Finance Committee. The last session was “a more serious formal meeting, said Luke’s sister Zoe, who chaired the student group. “They had a lot of questions.” Finally, they had to make their case to voters before Town Meeting, so they divvied up the tasks of writing articles for the school newsletter, the Lincoln Review and the Lincoln Journal, and creating and rehearsing a PowerPoint presentation for the big day.

After patiently waiting for their warrant article to come up, the students took turns detailing the need for new racks. Shorb explained how the old bike racks are too small, especially on Wednesdays, when some of the older students bike from school to the Whistle Stop after school. Shorb and Petraglia explained how they aren’t really secure. And Hamandi assured any voters wary of hidden costs that there would be no sales tax for the tax-exempt school and no spending required for installation, since school custodial staff would do that as part of their regular duties.

Residents passed the measure unanimously and also gave the students a round of applause along with appreciative town officials.

“This really takes it to a new level to go through this process,” said Selectman Peter Braun.

“Just another week at L-S”

L-S logoBella Wong, the interim superintendent/principal at Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School, writes a column for the L-S website called Bella’s Corner. Recently she told readers about the wide variety of student goings-on during one week at the high school, including appearances at several regional competitions in areas including a capella singing, foreign languages, and ocean science quiz and Ocean Quiz Bowls, a flamenco and  Spanish classical guitar concert, and post-season boys’ and girls’ hockey, to name just a few:

I have just come away from listening to Christina Agapakis, LS ’02, address an auditorium full of our students on the dichotomy of art and science, synthetic and biology, from her perspective as a scientist working with bacteria. It was fascinating to say the least. At the MLK assembly on February 14 I heard Gerald McElroy, LS ’05, illustrate how a single person can make a difference as he described his work on behalf of migrants in the Dominican Republic now embodied in a non-profit organization Espaniola. Both alum speakers were truly inspirational and models of individuals who have pursued their passions across multiple modalities for a cohesive productive end while further forwarding notions of social responsibility. What great outcomes for these LS grads! How does that all happen?

…continue reading “Just another week in March”

Lincoln Gearticks earn top award at state competition

The Lincoln Gearticks earned the top award at the state championship at Bridgewater State University on March 8. Front row, left to right: Evan Glenn, Caleb Sander, Irene Terpstra, Calvin Terpstra, Dante Muzila, Claire Telfer and Catherine Appleby. Back row, left to right: Thom Quirk, Andrew Lee, Amelia Brown, Jack Hutchinson, Austin Brown, Logan Engstrom Abby Payne. Photo by Victor Terpstra

The Lincoln Gearticks earned the top award at the state championship at Bridgewater State University on March 8. Front row, left to right: Evan Glenn, Caleb Sander, Irene Terpstra, Calvin Terpstra, Dante Muzila, Claire Telfer and Catherine Appleby. Back row, left to right: Thom Quirk, Andrew Lee, Amelia Brown, Jack Hutchinson, Austin Brown, Logan Engstrom Abby Payne. Photo by Victor Terpstra

By Caleb Sander, Claire Telfer, Abby Payne and Irene Terpstra
Lincoln Gearticks team members

The Lincoln Gearticks robotics team of 14 middle and high school students from Lincoln and Westwood took the top award at the Massachusetts FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC) Robotics Championships on March 8 and will be heading to the Eastern Super-Regional in Pennsylvania next month along with five other teams from Massachusetts.

[Read more…] about Lincoln Gearticks earn top award at state competition

Magic Garden kids pitch in during bird count

Magic Garden teachers and children look for birds during the Great Backyard Bird Count. Photo courtesy Magic Garden

Magic Garden children and their teacher look for birds during the Great Backyard Bird Count. Photo courtesy Magic Garden

Magic Garden preschoolers recently participated in the Great Backyard Bird Count, a nationwide project to count and categorize bird species where “citizen birders” spend a little time in the field (i.e., their own backyards) watching birds during a specific time of year.

Data from the project, which is sponsored by Cornell Lab of Ornithology, the National Audubon Society and Bird Studies Canada, will help scientists  learn more about the health of the ecosystems and environment by analyzing various bird populations.

Magic Garden children in two classes (ages 3-5) counted birds around the school campus in small groups using tools including field guides, pictures of birds and binoculars. The children spotted five American robins, a bluejay, a northern cardinal, a white-breasted nuthatch, an American crow, and three black-capped chickadees.

“It was a wonderful way to actively use counting and observation skills and a tangible way to show love for our friends the birds,” said Magic Garden director Jill Canelli.

“This experience was a great foray into the science of bird-watching for the children and for all of us as adults,” added Gail Wild, a Magic Garden preschool teacher and science lover.

“As both a nature lover and an early childhood environmental educator, I’ve always been fascinated by birds and have loved finding new and exciting ways to connect children with nature through observing animals. I’m excited to share my love for birds and collaborate with our teachers and pilot this citizen science project,” Canelli said.

Dietician talks about healthy meals for kids tonight

Tired of the same old meal plan, or maybe no plan at all? Struggling with picky eaters? Looking for easy ways to add variety and more nutrition to your meals that your kids will happily eat? Join First Connections and Drumlin Farm Preschool on Tuesday, Feb. 25 from 7-8:30 p.m. at Drumlin Farm to hear author and registered dietician Liz Weiss  discuss:

  • Ideas for stocking a healthy “last-minute” pantry
  • Unique ways to add kid appeal to fruits, vegetables and whole grains
  • Clever strategies for marketing good nutrition to kids

Liz will cook up a “No-Whine” recipe from her book for parents to taste. Do you have specific questions for Liz? Email them to lmatthews@jri.org and we’ll forward them to her to be sure your topic is addressed during the presentation. Liz will have discounted copies of her cookbooks available to anyone interested in bringing home more recipes.

Please call 978-287-0221 or email  lmatthews@jri.org to preregister—this is a free program.

Drumlin Farm family programs

sheepDrumlin Farm Wildlife Sanctuary has plenty of programs to keep you busy through this cold winter season. Check out this sampling of upcoming programs! For more information about our programs or to register, call 781-259-2200 or visit www.massaudubon.org.drumlinfarm.

Winter Wool Craft Series: Knitting II – Building Skills
Saturday, Feb. 8, 10 a.m. to noon
What can you make from wool?  Join other teens 13-17 interested in creating amazing projects and developing craft skills. Visit with the sheep and build on your basic knitting skills. $20 for members, $24 for nonmembers.

Chickadee Birders: Eagles and Owls
Sunday, Feb. 9, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
The North Shore is a perfect place to go in search of all our favorite wintering birds, such as ducks, eagles, and owls. We will introduce elementary age children (ages 7-11 or grades 2-5) to the basics of birding, bird life, and seasonal migration. Birding is a lifelong skill that can lead to a greater interest in the outdoors and the environment as a whole. $30 for members, $36 for nonmembers.

Kinglet Birders: Owl Prowl
Sunday, Feb. 9, 1:30-3 p.m.
Share the exciting and fascinating world of birds with your 4-6 year-old child as we search for owls and meet some of Drumlin Farm’s owl residents. Meet some of Drumlin Farm’s birds up close and explore field, forest and wetland looking for the birds that make these habitats their home. Learn activities that you can take home to expand your experience, wherever you live. $10 for members, $12 for nonmembers.

Wondrous Wool
Tuesday, Feb. 11, 1-2:30 p.m.
Visit the soft and fluffy sheep all snug in their barn. After our visit share sheepish stories and make a woolly toy to take home. A great family program! $12 for members, $15 for nonmembers.

Owl Always Love Ewe
Friday, Feb. 14, 3:30-5 p.m.
It’s Valentine’s Day—what would Ewe want? Owl might have a different idea; mice are so very nice. Let’s visit with the sheep and make some wooly valentines. Perhaps Owl could teach us a Love Song to woo someone special. Whoo, whoo, who loves Ewe? A great family program! $12 for members, $15 for nonmembers.

Teen Birders: Eagles and Owls
Saturday, Feb. 15, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Birders aged 12-17 can travel with us to Newburyport and Parker River National Wildlife Refuge for a full day of searching for eagles, hawks, owls and more! $35 for members, $42 for nonmembers.

Naturalist Walk
Saturday, Feb. 15, 1-3 p.m.
Are you interested in the natural world around you? Join us on these Saturday afternoon excursions that will focus on observing, exploring and appreciating the world around us. We’ll cover wetlands to uplands, exploring all the habitats of the sanctuary, as we look for amphibians, reptiles, mammals, flowering plants, trees, shrubs, lichens, fungi, insects, and birds. We’ll follow the seasonal changes that occur on the sanctuary as the year progresses. Each walk will focus on a particular area or habitat as we build our understanding of ecological communities and our mutual interdependence. This program is open to adults or teens 16-17 accompanied by an adult. Pre-registration is not required. $10 for members, $12 for nonmembers.

Library events postponed due to storm

snowcloudBecause of the impending snowstorm, the Lincoln Public Library has postponed the Kids Lego Club and the Photoshare events scheduled for Wednesday, Feb. 5.

The drop-in Lego Club for children age 5 and up will meet next on Wednesday, Feb. 12 from 4-4:45 p.m. The next monthly Photoshare meeting will be on Wednesday, March 5 at 7 p.m.